AHPS: Uses and Experiences in an Operational Setting

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AHPSUses and Experiences in an Operational
Setting
Peter Jung Service Hydrologist - WFO CTP State
College, PA

• National HPM Conference
• New Orleans, LA
• December 6-10, 2004

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Yeah!
AHPS!!
Ugh, Hydrology!
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Field Experiences and Best Practices using the
AHPS Web Pages

• In-House Applications
• External Customers / Feedback
• Training (and challenges)
• Best Practices

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AHPS Use by the Forecast Staff

• Provide quick overview for forecasters
• Quick reference for EMA and publics questions
• Valuable media briefing tool

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AHPS Use by Customers

• 1 - Local
• Emergency
• Managers
• 2 PEMA
• (Pennsylvania
• Emergency
• Management
• Agency)
• 3 - Media

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Staff Training

• Wean off existing technology
• Office Workshops
• One-on-one training
• Drills

• Training on probabilistic graphics difficult
• Not intuitive to many
• Lack of use during long periods of normal or low
  flow events causes memory atrophy

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Best Practices

• WFO Staff
• Training
• Familiarization
• Keep Interest and Involvement High
• External users
• Familiarization
• Consistency

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Where AHPS helps today!(where the rubber meets
the road)

• Faster access to data by forecasters
• Faster dissemination of forecasts and observed
  data to customers
• More detailed data available to media
• Ability to observe trends and pick out areas
  where forecast not matching observations

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Where AHPS may help in the future

• County and State EMAs very excited about
  partnered services such as inundation mapping
• Continued standardization and polishing of
  presentations